NSRA TO HONOR BIRKENSTOCK USA AND VIONIC GROUP AS 2015 VENDORS OF THE YEAR

Tucson, AZ (September 16, 2015) - The National Shoe Retailers Association has announced Birkenstock USA and Vionic Group as its Vendors of the Year for 2015. The awards will be presented at the association's annual leadership conference being held Nov. 19-20, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina. Accepting the awards will be Birkenstock CEO David Kahan and Vionic President and CEO Chris Gallagher.

“Vendors of the Year are companies held in high esteem by independent retailers, both for the integrity of their business practices and for their passion and long-term commitment to the betterment of the independent footwear channel,” said NSRA president Chuck Schuyler. “It is with great pleasure that NSRA salutes both Birkenstock and Vionic – they are great to do business with, and their employees are some of the most dedicated in the industry.”

“NSRA's partnerships with our Vendor Sponsors, including Birkenstock and Vionic, have enabled NSRA to produce some of the finest retailer education programs imaginable,” said Schuyler. “Without the support of vendors, we would not be the leading retailer organization in the industry. We take this opportunity to publicly thank these two companies who are so important to NSRA members. I'd like to add that both David Kahan and Chris Gallagher lead by example, and their teams respect independents as partners in both product feedback and company success.”

NSRA was founded in 1912 to represent independent shoe retailers and provide their companies with business services, education programs and information resources that help them remain profitable and at the leading edge of retail. For more information, please visit www.nsra.org.